(by Steve Hopkins, photo WTT)
China’s top two paddlers swapped spots in the latest World Rankings, with Wang Chuqin claiming No. 1 ahead of Lin Shidong. Shidong could reclaim the top position as soon as October 7, as both players will compete at the China Smash and with only 50 points separating them, the player that advances furthest will leave the event atop the Rankings.
Hugo Calderano is now in third, also just 50 points ahead of his closest competitor (World No. 4 Tomokazu Harimoto. Europe’s top player, Truls Moregard, is in fifth. The rest of the Top 10 is Liang Jingkun, Felix Lebrun, Benedikt Duda, Xiang Peng, and Darko Jorgic. Anders Lind jumped up 5 slots to No. 14 and Jang Woojin moved up 7 slots to No. 21 – both on the strength of their Semifinal runs this weekend. USA’s Kanak Jha stayed inside the Top 25 at World No. 23.
Unlike the men, the Women’s Rankings stayed virtually the same with no changes inside of the Top 10. China holds the top five spots (Yingsha, Manyu, Xingtong, Kuai, Yidi), then Harimoto, Yuling, Ito, Chen Yi, and Odo to round out the Top 10. Puerto Rico’s Adriana Diaz is up a spot to No. 21, USA’s Lily Zhang is No. 36, and Canada’s Mo Zhang is No. 46.
The next major tour stop is the China Smash which starts on September 25.
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